Southern Peanut Growers Meeting in Florida

Cindy Zimmerman

“Super Farmers Grow Super Peanuts” is the theme for the 21st Annual Southern Peanut Growers Conference (SPGC) in Panama City Beach, Florida this week. The three-day event provides farmers with information about peanut production, legislative issues, marketing and promotions.

The event includes the Alabama Peanut Producers Association, the Florida Peanut Producers Association, the Mississippi Peanut Growers Association and the Georgia Peanut Commission. We talked with the executive directors of all four organizations to get an update on the peanut crop this year and what issues growers are watching.

Get all of the news from this annual event on the SPGC blog – now in its 12th year!

2019 SPGC Interview with Jacob Davis, Alabama Peanut Producers Association

2019 SPGC Interview with Ken Barton, Florida Peanut Producers Association

2019 SPGC Interview with Don Koehler, Georgia Peanut Commission

2019 SPGC Interview with Malcolm Broome, Mississippi Peanut Growers Association

2019 Southern Peanut Growers Conference Photo Album

AgWired Precision, Audio, Peanuts, SPGC

Zimfo Bytes 7/19

Carrie Muehling

  • U.S. Secretary of Agriculture Sonny Perdue announced the award of more than $9 million in USDA Farm to School Program grants that will increase the amount of healthy, local foods served in schools and create economic opportunities for nearby farmers.
  • The challenges and opportunities of implementing a new biotechnology regulation review process will be the topic of the Farm Foundation® Forum on Tuesday, July 23, 2019.
  • Applied GeoSolutions, the Conservation Technology Information Center and The Nature Conservancy have spearheaded the development, testing and application Operational Tillage Information System (OpTIS), a new tool that has the potential to unlock conservation solutions for a variety of food and agricultural supply chain stakeholders. These data document the level of adoption of soil health practices for Illinois, Indiana and Iowa from 2005 to 2018.
  • Tractor Supply Company‘s Mobile Fair Tour will journey across the Midwest again this summer, traveling through Michigan, Missouri, Illinois, Minnesota, Kansas, Oklahoma and Texas. Each day, the first 50 booth visitors will receive a $5 coupon towards a future purchase at their local Tractor Supply store.
  • Recently implemented policies based on National Cotton Council resolutions regarding warehouse bale shipment reporting are aimed at enhancing the industry’s reputation for timely delivery by getting U.S. raw cotton into customers’ hands faster. The policies, which are now included in the USDA Cotton Storage Agreement, call for warehouses to 1) report their weekly shipments electronically in a more detailed manner and 2) respond promptly to shipping orders from merchants via computer.
  • Three USDA scientists with the Agricultural Research Service have been named recipients of the Presidential Early Career Award for Scientists and Engineers. The ARS winners are: Heather Allen at the National Animal Disease Center in Ames, Iowa; Jo Anne Crouch at the Beltsville Agricultural Research Center in Beltsville, Maryland; and Sara Lupton, at the Edward T. Schafer Agricultural Research Center in Fargo, North Dakota.
  • The annual photo contest of National Corn Growers Association started in 2014 to help tell the story of farming field corn in America. A few updates have been made for the 2019 contest. Visit Fields-of-Corn today to enter your best farm photos, and vote for your favorite photos. Open to all, entries will be accepted through Nov. 30 and will be available to accumulate Facebook “likes” through December. Winners will be announced in January of 2020.
  • The Bayer Trendlines Ag Innovation Fund, set up by Bayer CropScience LLC and The Trendlines Group Ltd., announced that it established EcoPhage Ltd., a new company focused on discovering and developing environmentally friendly products for disease control in agriculture.
  • Harvest Returns has launched the Sustainable Agriculture Opportunity Zone Fund to create a positive impact for farmers in Qualified Opportunity Zones.
  • Excessive moisture and flooding in 2019 have prevented or delayed planting on many farms across most of the country. USDA knows producers are facing tough times and is offering extended deadlines to file acreage reports in Arkansas, Illinois, Indiana, Iowa, Kentucky, Louisiana, Michigan, Missouri, Minnesota, North Dakota, Ohio, Tennessee and Wisconsin. Producers in these states now must file by July 22. USDA is also offering special sign-ups to cover part of the costs of planting cover crops on acres prevented from planting and earlier date to hay, graze, or chop cover crops planted on acres prevented from planting.
  • Growth Energy announced the addition of three new innovative businesses to its membership: Frazenburg, headquartered in Des Moines, IA; Brown Tank, LLC, headquartered in St. Paul, MN; and Bioleap, Inc., headquartered in Tampa, Fla.
  • The Iowa AgriTech Accelerator announced the program’s next executive director, Nadilia Gomez. Nadilia joins The Accelerator from Corteva Agriscience — one of the Accelerator’s six investor companies — where she served as a senior research scientist in Predictive Ag and as digital pillar leader of the Disruptive Business Innovation Portfolio.
  • The 33rd annual Georgia Peanut Tour will be September 17-19, 2019 at Lake Blackshear Resort & Golf Club, Cordele, Ga. Register here.
  • Glen R. Smith has been designated by President Donald Trump as chairman and CEO of the Farm Credit Administration.
  • “A Berry Good Project,” a free downloadable book geared toward third- to fifth-grade students, is now available from Feeding Minds Press. The book helps students understand farmers’ choices related to pest management. It also introduces students to careers in agriculture, including Extension agent and strawberry farmer.
  • National Corn Growers Association President Lynn Chrisp presented NCGA’s 2019 President’s Award to Nebraska Senator Deb Fischer. The President’s Award is given annually at NCGA’s Corn Congress meeting in Washington, D.C. to a leader who has worked to advance issues important to corn growers and agriculture.
Zimfo Bytes

ZimmCast 621 – Ag Media Summit/IFAJ Congress Preview

Chuck Zimmerman

This week we have a preview of the upcoming 2019 Ag Media Summit and International Federation of Agricultural Journalists Congress in Minneapolis/Bloomington, Minnesota. This is the largest gathering of agriculture’s top writers, editors, photographers, publishers and communication specialists in the U.S. This year’s dates are July 26-31 for the Congress with AMS overlapping on July 27-31. The last time the two programs were held together was in 2009 in Fort Worth, Texas.

The annual Ag Media Summit includes AAEA The Agricultural Communicators Network, the Livestock Publications Council and the Connectiv Agri-Media Committee. With the addition of IFAJ, more than 700 media and communications professionals are expected to attend.

To help me preview the events I spoke with Carey Brown, Kentucky Cattlemen’s Association and co-chair of the coordinating committee for the events.

Listen in to our conversation. I hope you enjoy it and hope to see you there in a week or so!

Listen to the ZimmCast here: Preview of Ag Media Summit & IFAJ Congress

ACN, Ag Media Summit, AgWired Animal, AgWired Precision, Audio, LPC, Media, ZimmCast

Deere Announces Registered Apprenticeship Program

Cindy Zimmerman

In an effort to address the nationwide shortage of service technician labor, John Deere has received approval from the U.S. Department of Labor for its new Registered Apprenticeship Program and is making it available to its Agriculture & Turf and Construction & Forestry dealers. The program will provide dealers with a formalized, on-the-job and technical training plan to help them develop more highly skilled employees.

“The new Registered Apprenticeship Program complements our existing John Deere TECH program,” said Grant Suhre, director, region 4 customer and product support for John Deere Ag & Turf. “In addition to the on-the-job training experience, an apprentice will receive technical instruction and be assigned a personal mentor as a part of the highly organized training structure. Upon completion of the apprenticeship, he or she will receive a nationally recognized journeyworker certificate.”

Through participation in the apprenticeship program, dealers formally commit to developing additional talent in an earn-while-you-learn program. A participating apprentice benefits from structured, on-the-job training in partnership with an experienced mentor. As training progresses, apprentices are rewarded for new skills acquired. According to Tim Worthington, manager, customer support for the John Deere Construction and Forestry Division, participating dealerships will see numerous benefits.

Learn more about the John Deere Registered Apprenticeship Program.

AgWired Precision, John Deere

Precision Ag Bytes 7/17

Carrie Muehling

  • Andrew Pylypchuk has joined TerrAvion as Vice President of Enterprise Sales.
  • The integration of TerrAvion high-resolution imagery in the Farm Dog mobile scouting app gives agronomists a way to effortlessly view your TerrAvion data layers on your phone or tablet while you are in the field scouting.
  • Applied GeoSolutions, the Conservation Technology Information Center and The Nature Conservancy haverelease of regional-scale data from the Operational Tillage Information System (OpTIS), a new tool that has the potential to unlock conservation solutions for a variety of food and agricultural supply chain stakeholders.
  • The challenges and opportunities of implementing a new biotechnology regulation review process will be the topic of the Farm Foundation® Forum on Tuesday, July 23, 2019.
  • Evogene Ltd., a leading biotechnology company developing novel products for life science markets, announces that after achieving positive results, its corn disease resistance research collaboration with the Crop Science Division of Bayer is being refocused on the identification of genome editing targets for evaluation against a broad range of corn diseases.
  • Triangle Plant Sciences, a division of Verdesian Life Sciences of Cary, NC, has announced a partnership with MustGrow Biologics Corp. of Saskatoon, SK, to offer exclusive Canada and global access to TPS’s TP-1000, the first product in a suite of researched hydroponic technology offerings.
  • Certis USA announced new citrus canker fighting technology to combat bacterial diseases and antibiotic resistance in citrus. AgriPhage™ Citrus Canker is the only citrus canker product to use bacteriophages, also known as “bacteria eaters”.
  • Four innovative startups have been selected to participate in the AgLaunch and Knoxville Entrepreneur Center agtech bootcamp this week being held on the University of Tennessee Institute of Agriculture campus in Knoxville.
  • Nufarm Americas announced plans to showcase Trunemco nematode management technology and more Nufarm-exclusive solutions at Ag PhD Field Day in Baltic, SD, on July 25, 2019. Trunemco, launched earlier this year, is a new seed-applied nematode management technology that provides a leading level of protection and higher yield profiles in soybeans, cotton and corn. The patented dual defense is available to add nematode management efficacy and consistency to seed treatment programs for Crop Year 2020.
  • Mycogen Seeds offers three considerations to help farmers get the most out of their crops this fall: don’t skimp on your inputs plan; watch stalk quality; and be prepared for a premature frost before drydown.
  • West Central has developed a new broadcast fertilizer additive, Trivar™, designed to maximize phosphate fertilizer by increasing the availability of phosphorus and other key nutrients.
  • GMO Answers has put together a handy new video for you to share in your networks showing which crops are GMO and when they came to market. And no, there is no GMO wheat on the market, no GMO strawberries, no GMO watermelon, and definitely no GMO tomatoes on the market today.
  • The National Cotton Council is grateful for EPA’s decision granting use on cotton of sulfoxaflor (commercially known as Transform©) – a uniquely designed insecticide that targets piercing/sucking insect pests such as aphids and plant bugs.
AgWired Precision, Precision Ag Bytes

Corn Growers Continue Call for #NoMoreWaivers

Cindy Zimmerman

The National Corn Growers Association (NCGA) is continuing to call on the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) to follow President Trump’s commitment to farmers and stop giving Renewable Fuel Standard (RFS) waivers to big oil companies.

NCGA is re-running a television ad that first aired last month after President Trump visited an Iowa ethanol plant and heard from NCGA first vice president Kevin Ross. During the event, Ross thanked the President for delivering on his promise to farmers but told him that “The EPA’s oil refinery waivers threaten to undo your good works.”

NCGA members are in Washington, D.C. this week for Corn Congress and meetings with lawmakers on Capitol Hill. Farmers will be urging policymakers to support legislation in the House, H.R. 3006, and Senate, S. 1840, that would seek to stop waiver abuse and address the harm these waivers are causing.

Since early 2018, EPA has granted 53 RFS small refinery exemptions (SREs), or waivers, totaling 2.61 billion ethanol-equivalent gallons of renewable fuel. There are currently 39 refinery exemption petitions pending for the 2018 compliance year. NCGA has highlighted 39 reasons why the EPA should not grant additional waivers.

Watch the ad below.


Corn, EPA, Ethanol, NCGA

FMC Growing U.S. Biologicals Portfolio

Chuck Zimmerman

FMC LogoFMC has just submitted two new biological pesticide strains to the EPA for approval. These biologicals, which FMC anticipates will receive EPA approval in late 2020, will be used for seed treatment, in-furrow and transplant application to target diseases like Sudden Death Syndrome, Fusarium, Rhizoctonia and Phytophthora.

This unique combination of two bacilli strains offers a new option for growers to suppress some difficult to control and yield robbing diseases such as Sudden Death Syndrome (SDS) in soybeans as well as Fusarium, Rhizoctonia and Phytophthora. FMC is developing biological solutions which are unique to the marketplace and bring consistency in performance and higher yields.

The submission for these strains is for seed treatment, in-furrow and transplant application usages and the Company has filed petitions to establish exemptions from the requirement of tolerances. These submissions are anticipated to receive EPA approval in late 2020.

FMC previously received U.S. EPA registration for a Bacillus licheniformis strain FMCH001 and Bacillus subtilis strain FMCH002, as well as two associated formulated products, in May 2018.

Kaustubh Borah, North America commercial manager and business development lead for plant health at FMC, provides more information about these products. Interview with Kaustubh Borah, FMC

Agribusiness, AgWired Precision, FMC

Animal Ag Bites 7/15

Carrie Muehling

  • Improving cow health and production was a common theme of the recent 2019 American Dairy Science Association conference, held in Cincinnati. Researchers from around the globe convened to present findings from recent studies; among them, eight teams presented research specific to Phibro Animal Health Corporation nutritional products, offering a scientific basis and practical advice for integrating the products into feeding strategies.
  • Suzanne Fanning is the lead marketer behind the nation’s most awarded cheese brand and her efforts are being recognized by Deli Business Magazine as “the best of the best in the industry.” Fanning’s achievements earned her a People’s Award, reserved for professionals who have raised the bar in the food industry. With over twenty-five years of marketing experience, Fanning brings a unique approach to her work that has revolutionized how consumers think about Wisconsin Cheese.
  • WATT Global Media recently launched an Instagram channel to celebrate chicken and share the many experiences highlighting the world’s beloved protein. The new account features a wide array of chicken themed photos including chicken dishes, restaurants, clever marketing, retro signage, logos, ads, big chicken statues and more.
  • Poultry industry professionals are invited to attend Chicken Marketing Summit, an annual executive conference, which explores the issues and trends in food marketing and consumer chicken consumption patterns. Chicken Marketing Summit is scheduled for July 21-23, 2019 at the Belmond Charleston Place in Charleston, South Carolina. Registration is now open. For more information, visit, www.ChickenMarketingSummit.com.
  • With the beef industry going through continuous changes and advancements, it is important cattlemen and women across the country are “in the know”, which is where the Cattlemen’s Education Series comes into play. This partnership between the National Corn Growers Association and the National Cattlemen’s Beef Association is designed to provide resources to NCBA state and breed affiliates through a grant which allows them to extend outstanding educational experiences locally.
AgWired Animal, Animal Bites

Zimfo Bytes 7/12

Carrie Muehling

  • American Farmland Trust, the organization behind the national movement No Farms No Food®, has hired Robbin Marks as director of institutional partnerships.
  • IDEAg Group, producers of Farmfest, will showcase a hops demonstration yard at the farm show in August. This is the first year that hops are growing on the Farmfest grounds. The show kicks off Aug. 6 at the Gilfillan Estate in Morgan, Minnesota.
  • Textile executives representing 20 companies from Indonesia should gain a deeper understanding of why U.S. cotton is the world’s preferred fiber when they travel across the U.S. Cotton Belt on July 21-25. This COTTON USA Special Trade Mission is coordinated by Cotton Council International, the National Cotton Council’s export promotions arm.
  • The challenges and opportunities of implementing a new biotechnology regulation review process will be the topic of the Farm Foundation® Forum on Tuesday, July 23, 2019. The Forum will be 9 a.m. to 11 a.m. EDT at the Holeman Lounge of the National Press Club, 529 14th Street NW, Washington, D.C. A live audiocast will also be available.
  • Broadband is no longer a luxury but a necessity for modern agriculture and the quality of life for rural Americans, Missouri Farm Bureau President Blake Hurst told a House subcommittee. Read the entire testimony here.
  • The Association of Equipment Manufacturers released three documentary-style videos that tell the stories of Becky, Paul, and Ray and how decisions made in Washington impact their lives and communities. The videos are part of AEM’s ongoing “Behind Every Product” series that highlights the 1.3 million men and women of the equipment manufacturing industry and how they contribute to the U.S. economy.
Zimfo Bytes

ISPA Definition for Precision Agriculture

Chuck Zimmerman

ISPA LogoThe International Society for Precision Agriculture has publised their official definition of the term, precision agriculture. This is from the ISPA newsletter.

“Precision Agriculture is a management strategy that gathers, processes and analyzes temporal, spatial and individual data and combines it with other information to support management decisions according to estimated variability for improved resource use efficiency, productivity, quality, profitability and sustainability of agricultural production.”

The definition was recently recognized by the Board of directors as the official definition of the International Society for Precision Agriculture (ISPA).

There was clearly a need to clarify what Precision Agriculture really is. A non-exhaustive list (http://www.grap.udl.cat/en/presentation/pa_definitions.html) of definitions assembled by the Research Group in AgroICT & Precision Agriculture reported 27 different contributions from the very beginning of PA to date. As the sole international scientific society completely devoted to Precision Agriculture, the ISPA could not avoid the need to provide clarity and guidance on this important concept. The Precision Agriculture concept emerged in the early ‘90s and was then totally focused on the study and management of spatial variability in crop production. Since then, other components of variability and other sectors of agriculture related to the concept in a duly manner.

The ISPA is proud of both the definition that emerged and the process by which it was achieved. The ISPA Board wants to thank all people who contributed their time and expertise for this important endeavour, and particularly Dr. Alex Escolà from Lleida University and Dr. Viacheslav Adamchuk from McGill University.

AgWired Precision, Precision Agriculture